The Day Trip
by Neptunae
Summary: Set three months after the first movie. The Carnahans and Rick have moved to London, and Evie and Rick have planned a trip to the seaside. But things don't go according to plan... :) My first fan fic, so please don't be too critical. CHAPTER 4 UP!
1. Arguing And Adoring Simultaneously

Chapter One  
  
Rick and Evy stepped off the train onto a platform crowded with people and smoke. Men, women and children were hurrying in both directions, carrying luggage and talking in generally agitated tones. Porters pushed trollies laden with luggage, and the stationmaster, an obese man in his fifties, clutched his waistcoat as he chortled with laughter at a joke evidently just made by the young man carrying a cane with whom he was conversing. Rick and Evie began weaving between the swarms of people surrounding them, who jostled and bumped them. Every time this occurred, a hurried apology was murmured automatically by both parties and each went on their way again, only to accidentally shove someone else.  
  
Evie's fourth major blunder resulted in a heated discussion between a cranky middle aged gentleman and Rick, who could not let the man walk away from insulting Evelyn's coordination unscathed. Luckily, Evie managed to pacify him before he did anything rash, such as shove his opponent onto the tracks. She eventually also succeeded in pulling him away, whispering consolingly, 'Its not important, Rick. Let it go.'  
  
Rick, who didn't want to let it go, bristled all over again.  
  
'That guy had better hope I never run into him again, or-'  
  
'It's not as though what he said was untrue, Rick.' Evelyn pointed out. She knew very well that she was somewhat less than graceful, particularly in situations when it was most necessary to be poised. But it wouldn't hurt to hear Rick contradict her remark regarding her failing.  
  
'I know. But that's not the point.' Well! So much for soothing assurances of her coordination.  
  
Evie glared at Rick. 'Oooooh! Just because I can barely walk upstairs in my own home without tripping over my own feet does not give you leave to remind me of it!'  
  
Rick grinned and shrugged. 'Hey, I was just being helpful. Your memory's not that great either, you know.'  
  
'Mr O'Connell!' Evie said indignantly. The nerve of the man! But none of their remarks were serious and they both knew it.  
  
By this time, the couple had almost made it to the end of the platform, and out into the fresh sea air, where they were to spend the day. It was an outing suggested on a whim by Rick, who had noticed Evie was looking a worn out and overworked, and needed a break. She had greeted his suggestion with enthusiasm. Since their move to London three months ago, almost immediately after returning from Hamunaptra, Rick and the Carnahans hadn't left the city at all, being busy with a new job in the British Museum, helping at the museum by lifting heavy crates, or being reunited with all of London's best pubs, as the case may be. The proposed day trip was given the go- ahead, and a day was set. Jonathan couldn't come, having had arranged to meet some old acquaintances for a few drinks ('Just a few!' he had promised Evie. 'Stop fussing!'). Neither Evie or Rick minded in the least that Jonathan couldn't come too- in fact, his absence pleased them immensely. Jonathan didn't mind either. As he muttered to himself while waving goodbye to his sister and her companion, 'three months of bearing witness to constant sessions of cooing and coddling was quite enough without spending an entire day in such a way, without giving a chap so much as a single break.'  
  
Evelyn and Rick stepped out into the bright, cheery sunshine, a rarity in London.  
  
'So.any idea how to get to this restaurant?' Rick asked Evie, who groaned.  
  
'You really are infuriating, Rick! I don't even know what the place is called. You made the reservation!'  
  
'So? Just because I booked the damn table doesn't mean I know where it is! And what makes you think I know what it's called?' Rick countered. He crossed his arms across his chest and watched Evie smoulder and splutter, her mouth opening and shutting. He would have smirked, but that might be pushing it.  
  
'Don't you dare swear at me!' she said, narrowing her eyes. They widened again as she thought of something. 'You can't remember what it's called?'  
  
Rick gave a mental gulp. Whoops. Shouldn't have said that. 'I'll know it when I see it!' he said defensively.  
  
'How do you propose to see it if we haven't the foggiest where it is?' Evie shot back. Their voices were raised considerably higher than usual, and Evie saw a stately old couple walking along the opposite side of the street frowning at them. Too worked up for propriety or even manners, Evie glared back.  
  
'Old gossips.' She muttered, jerking her head at them. Rick looked to where she indicated before turning back to meet her eyes, fighting the smile which was creeping across his face at the mental picture which had formed suddenly before he could stop it, of a very old Evie hobbling beside a very old him, both with masses of wrinkles and grey hair.  
  
'What are you looking so amused at?' Evelyn asked suspiciously. Rick, looking down at her as she evidently tried to decide whether to be stern or share the joke, suddenly felt love for her wash over him, her presence intoxicating his senses. He hadn't felt anything like this before for anyone. For a while, since Hamunaptra practically, Rick had known that he was in love with Evelyn Carnahan. Five years back, or even one, if anyone had told him that he'd fall for a girl like her, Rick O'Connell would have laughed fitfully. Laughed, or punched their lights out. But when he'd met Evie, he'd grown to love all the things about her that he would have scorned before. He loved her for her intelligence, and how she never gave up hoping for a career traditionally given only to men. He loved her cute smile, and her even cuter accent. He loved her clumsiness. He loved her obstinate and determined nature. He loved her fearlessness, and her recklessness. He loved the way she genuinely cared for Jonathan. He loved her inclination to rant on and on. He loved how passionate she was when she talked about Egypt, and how sometimes when she talked she forgot about everything else and engrossed herself in her stories as she delved into her knowledge.  
  
Realising that Evie was blushing hotly under his stare, O'Connell smiled easily and considered telling her what he'd really thought. A second after he thought the thought he dismissed it. She wasn't ready to hear it.  
  
Or are you not ready to say it? something in him asked.  
  
'I was just wondering how two people could possible fight as often as we do and still be crazy about each other.' He said. That would have to do- it wasn't the time or place for professions of undying, timeless love. Rick, studying Evie's face, saw that it had done the trick.  
  
She smiled sweetly up at him. 'It's a mystery. Just like the location of the restaurant. One would hope that the mystery of the restaurant doesn't prove as hard to solve as the other you've put forward. Three months and we still haven't got a single solid lead.' She raised her eyebrows and slipped her arm around his. 'Let's go.' Evie said, urging Rick on down the street. Rick winced. The day was NOT turning out the way he'd hoped. 


	2. Wandering Aimlessly With An Aim

Chapter Two  
  
Thirty minutes later, two disgruntled, hungry individuals were still wandering aimlessly around the streets, searching and, yes, bickering.  
  
They dragged themselves along the sidewalk, feeling hot and bothered, and glared enviously at the cool, collected couples who sat behind the thick windows of various restaurants and cafes. These people talked in a most annoyingly contented manner, sipping chilled beverages and eating wonderful culinary concoctions which would taunt any taste buds, let alone those of a pair of people as ravenous as Rick and Evelyn were by that time.  
  
'You, Rick O'Connell, are the most irresponsible, arrogant, and egotistical man I have ever had the misfortune of meeting!' Evie snapped, exasperated, when Rick suggested he could always get them in at one of the many establishments they had passed, instead of searching endlessly for the one which had 'ocean' in the name, as he'd remembered it had. 'I cannot believe you actually think yourself capable of getting us into a reasonable establishment without a reservation! Just who do you think you are?' she continued, while Rick cursed himself for remembering the damned word 'ocean', when he could have just steered her into a place and bluffed it out. Now they had to traipse through the whole bloody town looking for a restaurant which could, for all knew, just be a figment of his imagination. was it 'ocean', or 'sea'? Or was it neither? He wasn't entirely sure he'd hit upon the right word, but voicing this thought aloud would not have been a good idea. Judging from her mood, Evelyn would not be likely to laugh it over.  
  
'.and now you're not even listening to me!' she complained, her voice taking on a whining quality which distressed him immensely. She had never complained this much before, and it was getting on Rick's nerves.  
  
'Why don't we just ask someone?' he asked, feeling relieved as the idea occurred to him, and scouring passing locals for signs that they were geographically gifted. Now she would praise him endlessly for his wonderful idea and things would go back to normal, as he found the restaurant in a matter of minutes and saved the day again, maybe even throwing in a kiss or two for good measure.  
  
'NO!'  
  
Or not.  
  
'Why not?' he asked testily, after his pleasant fantasy was shattered by her screeching refusal.  
  
'Because then we will look like ignorant tourists.'  
  
'But we ARE tourists.' Rick pointed out.  
  
'Ooooh! Speak for yourself, you.you silly American! I am British to the bone!'  
  
'Sure you don't mean to the voice box?' Rick muttered under his breath. He considered Evy to be very unconventional by English standards. She was too independent, headstrong and ambitious to be the proper English lady. Even her looks were all wrong- she did not have any of the anglo-saxon features that were a trademark of the English. Really, her accent was the only English thing about her.  
  
That, and the high and mighty act she sometimes put on.  
  
'What did you say?' Evie demanded.  
  
'Nothing. I just think -'  
  
'I know it was some sort of insult, Rick. I may be deaf but I'm not stupid!'  
  
'- if I asked someone-'  
  
'I suppose you think I will just put up with any old treatment, because I am so desperate to hold onto you!'  
  
'-we might not have to waste the whole damned day-'  
  
'Well, you are obviously quite as stupid as you look, because-'  
  
'ARGUING!'  
  
Evelyn looked up at Rick, astonished. He couldn't decide if she was astounded because he'd interrupted her, because of what he'd said, or because until he'd shouted she hadn't realised he'd been talking at all.  
  
'Look, let's not fight any more, Evie, OK? Wouldn't you like to just relax and have a good time for once?' Rick asked, choosing his approach and hammering it for all he was worth.  
  
'Of course.' Evelyn said meekly, nearly causing Rick to fall over in astonishment and incredulity. Since when did she admit he was right withought some sort of a fight? Even if they agreed, Evie seemed to deliberately resist as much as possible, just to show him she wasn't going to go along with anything he suggested solely because HE had suggested it.  
  
'You know, that's the first time you've ever agreed with me withought being bribed! Must be some sort of record.' Rick said, putting his arm around her shoulders as they walked along the road, now with no envious glances in shop windows.  
  
Evie smiled gently. 'Just don't get too used to it, Mr O'Connell.'  
  
For a few minutes they walked in companionable silence, savouring their newfound harmony. They passed the window of a men's tailor, where Evie excitedly pointed out a truly awful outfit to Rick. This caused his eyes to bulge in panic, lest she force him to purchase it, or worse, wear it. When Evie began laughing uncontrollably at his reaction his eyes narrowed and he feigned annoyance, but inside, relief was his most prominent emotion. Further down the strip of shops he returned the favour, but with a considerably more revealing item of clothing. This earned him a slap which continued to sting for a full ten minutes, and ebbed his enthusiasm considerably. However, soon after he caught sight of a building that caused his pulse to quicken. Maybe there were still opportunities to save the day after all.  
  
'You still hungry?'  
  
'Not really.'  
  
'Good, because I just saw a place on the corner called 'Ocean Breeze', and our table seems to be empty still. Hey, that's pretty good service, considering we're an hour late.'  
  
Rick grinned at Evie, whose eyebrows were raised, but whose mouth was twitching at the corners.  
  
'Not a bad sense of direction for a 'silly American', is it? Told you I'd find it.' Rick said, causing Evie's eyebrows to go so far up her forehead that they were in danger of joining her hair.  
  
'You certainly have an exaggerated sense of your own importance, Rick! I can see your brain is swelling as we speak, and just because we stumbled across a restaurant we couldn't find in the first place because of your utter lack of common sense.'  
  
Rick pretended to be hurt. 'That hurt, Evie. That hurt a lot.'  
  
Evie laughed dismissively. 'Oh, It would take a lot more than that to dent your good opinion of yourself than me pointing out your level of intelligence, or complete lack thereof.'  
  
They had reached the restaurant by this time, and stood near the entrance giving the snooty doorman stare for stare. After looking them up and down again, he sniffed and glanced away.  
  
Rick would rather have faced a dozen resurrected priests who knew how to use a sword than walk into that restaurant and be patronised and belittled, as invariably occurred when he and Evie went to this type of place without visible proof they were wealthy.  
  
'Ready to go in?' he asked, steeling himself. Evelyn turned to him with a mischievous glint in her eyes, the cause of which he could not fathom. He only had time to hope fervently that she had not come up with another idea likely to get them saving the world, a handful of starving orphans, or themselves as they ran away from a handful of angry shop owners, gardeners, or police, before she spoke.  
  
'I have a better idea.' 


	3. Remembering What Was Forgotten

Chapter Three  
  
Author's Note: I seem to of unintentionally offended my British readers with my last chapter. I'm really sorry about that!!! I didn't mean to!!! I can take that part out if you want. (just email/review me to let me know.)  
  
And for the record, I'm not a Yank, I'm an Aussie.  
  
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Evelyn took Rick by the hand and led him away from the restaurant that had been the cause of so much agony and affliction. She would rather have faced ten disapproving Bembridge scholars in an interview room than have gone in after everything that had happened because of the place. She glanced back at Rick, who was looking speculative, no doubt wondering if this 'idea' was going to involve forcing him to carve their names together in the trunk of a tree, as her last brilliant inspiration had. It was not HER fault that the most attractive tree they could find had been in a public park. It wasn't HER fault a few gardeners, cheating their employers by taking an unscheduled break behind the aforementioned tree, had happened to bear witness to the one time Evelyn Carnahan had broken the law. She was rather inebriated at the time, and could not be held responsible for anything she'd done or said. No, it was Rick's fault. He had known she was drunk- he should have stopped her! Yes, he was to blame-yet here he was, hoping she would not do anything similar again!  
  
Ha! She would show him and his doubting ways.  
  
'Are you gonna tell me where we're going?' Rick asked, as Evie dragged him along the sidewalk in the opposite direction to that they'd been walking in.  
  
'You're the one with the sense of direction- you tell me.' Evie replied lightly, turning a corner and setting off again at a rapid pace.  
  
'Ha, ha. Very funny, Evie. Not.'  
  
'Darling, you have to trust me! If I tell you, it will ruin the surprise.'  
  
Instead of mollifying Rick, this remark only served to fill him with terrified apprehension. Evie's 'surprises' were usually of the nature that got the two of them in a very tight spot which he, Rick, had to then get them out of.  
  
Or they involved spending the whole day staring at dug-up corpses arranged in glass cabinets.  
  
'This is a GOOD surprise, right?' he asked suspiciously, hoping fervently for a favourable response.  
  
'Absolutely!' she gushed, throwing him The Smile, which never failed to get Evelyn what she wanted, from choosing the restaurant she and Rick ate in to persuading the waiter to bring her a complimentary glass of water.  
  
At that moment, led by Evelyn, they ran down a pathway between two shops and out to the waterfront. Rick almost gasped. The view was spectacular. As far as the eye could see, crystal-clear blue water sparkled playfully as light got caught in the facets and pocks of the water. On the horizon, an ocean liner could be seen, a spiral of wispy smoke rising out of a smokestack. Rick was amazed to realise that he had forgotten that this was what they had come for- to be near the ocean.  
  
'It's beautiful, isn't it?' Evie said breathlessly. Rick turned to her and felt a surge of love so strong he thought it would tear him apart. He quickly looked away, trying to get his emotions under control. Rick didn't want to be totally at the mercy of these strange new pangs he knew were love. He could admit them, but he wanted to be able to keep them under control.  
  
That was beginning to seem impossible.  
  
Together they ran down to the beach and across the sand, finally dropping, breathless and laughing hysterically for no particular reason. Neither Rick nor Evie cared that their clothes were now covered in sand, although both of them had spent a considerable amount of time searching for the perfect ensemble to wear.  
  
Evelyn finally sat up, and with a mammoth effort controlled herself enough to cease giggling so sillily. Rick continued to lie in the sand at her feet. The warm sun on his face and the relaxing atmosphere prompted him to close his eyes and commence in unwinding.  
  
Evelyn, however, felt energised and was not in the least inclined to rest. Instead she looked around, and to her surprise saw that there were quite a few people on the beach who she hadn't noticed before, perhaps because she was otherwise occupied with noticing Rick.  
  
Evie caught the eye of a girl who appeared to be around her age strolling along the beach. She was in the company of a handsome but exceedingly dull looking gentleman, who was talking incessantly but failing to notice the antipathy and boredom signals his companion was sending him. He was clearly a man with an exaggerated sense of his own importance. Evie smiled as she remembered when she had thought Rick to be such a person, and for once was glad that she'd turned out to be wrong.  
  
As the couple passed Rick and Evelyn, the girl gave Evie an envious look, the origans of which were no doubt linked to Rick. The man, however, looked positively scandalised at the two dishevelled adults lying about in the sand. He put his arm protectively around the shoulders of his companion -who looked disgusted at this turn of events- as if fearful that the poor protocol of Evelyn and Rick would rub off on her.  
  
There had been a time when such blatant disapproval of her behaviour would have alarmed and ashamed Evelyn. This was not the case now. She smiled happily at the couple, wanting them to know she wasn't ashamed of choosing to sit in sand. The girl smiled back, but her companion frowned and ignored Evelyn. After they had passed by, he plunged into further incessant chatter, from which he didn't seem to take a breath at all.  
  
'Evie?' Rick said sleepily, causing her to transfer her gaze from the couple now walking away along the beach to him, still sprawled lazily with both eyes still shut.  
  
'What is it?' she asked, stifling a yawn and brushing some of the sand from her lap.  
  
'Was this the surprise?' he asked.  
  
'That all depends on what 'this' is,' she replied easily, smiling easily.  
  
'This.' Rick said. He sat up, opening his eyes and indicating the stunning panoramic ocean view.  
  
'Well, yes. I thought it would be a waste to come to the seaside and only see the ocean from behind a window, even if the window was in the wall of a fancy restaurant.' Evie explained, leaning her head against his shoulder companionably.  
  
'Well, for once your surprise wasn't a total loss.'  
  
'If you misguidedly regard that as a high compliment, Rick O'Connell, be warned that I will not do likewise.' Evie said, chagrined at his lack of appreciation for her efforts.  
  
'Well there's a surprise.' Rick said automatically. Evie decided against replying, rightly guessing that the wit of the remark was entirely coincidental.  
  
For a while they sat together in silence, although of course the beach is never silent. There was the noise of the waves smashing against the rocks, and shrill squawks of a myriad of seagulls.  
  
Less natural sounds were the squeals of the children whose feet had been wet through by walking too close to the water. These brought frustrated exclamations from angry mothers and nannies, who then led -or dragged-the now whining children away.  
  
After a while, Rick noticed that the once bustling beach had become almost deserted. He scanned it up and down and realised with a start that there were now only three other people in sight apart from Evie and himself. Rick frowned, and wondered what had driven the droves of other people away. Beside him, Evelyn gave an involuntary shiver.  
  
'Rick, darling, I do believe it's about to rain!' she said, startled at the realisation, for she, too, had failed to notice the threatening rain clouds approaching. These clouds were now directly above the beach, plunging everything into dreary shadow and transforming the unusually bright, sunny day into one of many examples of England's cold weather.  
  
Evelyn gave a yelp and struggled to her feet.  
  
'Rick, I felt a drop!' she exclaimed. 'We'd better go.'  
  
Rick leapt up, trying unsuccessfully to brush some of the sand off himself.  
  
'Come on, Rick!' Evelyn yelled, hurrying up the sandbanks towards the path between two shops they had used before. Rick was quick to follow, and the two of them ran side by side as the rain come down in droves, pelting onto their unprotected backs.  
  
They ran through the alleyway to the main street, where people everywhere were hastily putting up umbrellas or ducking into shops.  
  
'I don't suppose you brought an umbrella with you, did you?' Evie asked Rick, although she didn't hold out much hope of a confirmation, as she desperately tried to shelter herself from the stinging precision of the raindrops under a discarded newspaper.  
  
'Nope. You're the smart one, remember?' Rick pointed out, pulling her under a shop awning. Although this was a definite improvement, it didn't keep the rain from blowing underneath the striped awning, further soaking the two unfortunates. They huddled together as far back as they could go without pressing against the glass of the shop, their teeth chattering from the cold, wildly thinking of places where they could take shelter.  
  
'Why don't we just go in here?' Rick suggested, looking longingly inside the warm, inviting café that they stood in front of.  
  
'Not in this state!' Evelyn said in dismay, gesturing to her saturated and stained dress. Rick looked at his own ruined clothes, which were not only stained and wet but where also torn in several places, and shrugged.  
  
'Nothing wrong with them that I can see.'  
  
Evelyn shook her head decisively. 'The owners would never let us in.'  
  
'Fine, but where are we gonna go? Our train doesn't leave for another'-and here Rick consulted his pocket watch- 'four hours. We can't stay out in this!'  
  
A loud boom of thunder illustrated his ominous point perfectly, and Evelyn shivered as she frantically considered where they could shelter from the cold and the wet.  
  
'Got any bright ideas?' she finally asked Rick, having come up with none of her own.  
  
He shook his head slowly, and Evie bit her lip to keep from uttering a scream of frustration. She hadn't been this unable of finding the right solution to a problem since, well, ever.  
  
Where could they go?  
  
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Note to Readers: If anyone has any ideas about where Rick and Evie can go, PLEASE email me. (my address is on my page.) I have no idea at this stage.(  
  
Also, if you liked/disliked this story, FOR GOODNESS' SAKE REVIEW IT!!!!!!! It's very annoying when you don't, as I don't know if it's worth continuing, or what to change, or what to do next. It also takes much, much longer for me to post the next chapter. I may even be too discouraged to continue at all. (Hint, hint.)  
  
You don't have to log in or anything, just REVIEW!!!! PLEASE!!!  
  
Oh, and read my other story!!! (A perfectly Horrid Night) 


	4. too lazy to think of title yet Stuck In ...

Chapter Four  
  
Author's Note: Many thanks to those of you who gave me great ideas about where Evie and Rick could go next! All of them were great, which was a bit of a problem, as I could only use one. I ended up using the first idea I got sent, because I'd already started working it in. (thanks nefertirioc!)  
  
Thanks also to my faithful reviewers. . . all you other lazy people have them to thank for this chapter being up.  
  
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'Excuse me, miss,' Evelyn heard a voice say. She turned and saw a young waiter standing in the doorway of the café, a nervous but determined look on his face. He cleared his throat.  
  
'The management of this establishment sends its compliments, but regretfully also states that you must leave the premises immediately.'  
  
Rick, incredulous, burst out with 'But we're not ON the premises!'  
  
The waiter shifted uncomfortably.  
  
'Nevertheless, people huddling outside the café whose attire is . . . ah . . . somewhat bedraggled is bad for business.'  
  
Rick snorted. 'Yeah, I'm sure a little sand and seawater will scare away all your customers. Hey, it would send ME packing.'  
  
Evie laid a hand on Rick's arm. 'Rick, darling, it's not his fault.' she told him quietly. To the waiter, 'We'll go now. Please relay our apologies to your boss.'  
  
Looking relieved, the waiter gave a curt nod and ducked back inside into the warmth and comfort of his workplace, leaving Rick and Evelyn standing outside at a loss for what to do next.  
  
'I guess we'd better go.' Rick said dully. He stooped and collected the newspaper Evie had discarded earlier, and returned it to her. She shook it out before holding it above her head. Then they hurried down the street together, scanning their surroundings for a sympathetic observer with a few spare umbrellas. Unfortunately, there was no one to be seen at all, let alone anyone in a position to give the two luckless couple some assistance.  
  
After wandering for quite some time, Evie and Rick chanced upon a small park across the street.  
  
'Oh, look!' Evelyn said excitedly.  
  
Rick did not share her enthusiasm.  
  
'Sorry, hon, I didn't bring my pocket knife with me this time.' he said tiredly.  
  
'I'm not suggesting we deface the trees, silly! We can stand beneath them!'  
  
'Yeah! And get struck by lightening!'  
  
'Oh, come one, Rick. If we stay out in this much longer we'll catch pneumonia and die anyway.' Evie said carelessly, not sounding as if she would find such a fate at all bad. She tugged at Rick's sleeve. Reluctantly, followed her across the road and into the park.  
  
It was a very attractive place, and well maintained. The park was entirely surrounded by large oak trees that almost completely obscured its interior. All that could be seen from the street was these trees, and thin slices of promising colour between them.  
  
The entrance was marked by a quaint little sign, and a pathway. It was along this pathway that Evie dragged Rick. They had to walk around a corner and through a large archway covered with masses of some sort of pretty vine.  
  
Once inside, neither of the two were at all surprised to see that the park was completely deserted. However, they were surprised to see a large red telephone box standing in front of a cluster of elm trees to their right. It looked quite out place beside the abundance of dainty flowers and shrubbery. It was one of the only artificial contraptions in the park. Others included a raised platform right in the centre, surrounded by rose bushes, obviously used for speeches, band performances and the like.  
  
'We can shelter in that!' Evie said, raising her voice slightly over the downpour, and pointing to the telephone box.  
  
Rick nodded quickly and squeezed her hand. They ran blindly to the phone booth, almost delirious with joy. Upon reaching it at last, Evelyn fumbled with the latch.  
  
'It's stuck!' she exclaimed, dismayed.  
  
A moment later, after a good shove from both Rick and Evie, the door jolted open stiffly and they tumbled inside, sighing of relief from getting out of the rain at last.  
  
The telephone booth was a bit too small to be comfortable, but the absence of stinging pellets of rain was a welcome change. It was also considerably warmer.  
  
The phone box was empty, save for, of course, the telephone, as well as a small stool to sit upon whilst making calls. It was at this stool that Evelyn and Rick now stared. It would have been a tight squeeze for one person, let alone two, and they were both exhausted.  
  
'Want the stool?' Rick asked, deciding he could stand a while longer. Evie, however, looked as though she was going to fall to the ground at any moment.  
  
'You can have it, if you want it. I certainly don't.' she said airily, sounding as if she meant it. If she hadn't staggered as she'd said it, it might have been more believable.  
  
'You're lying.' Rick said.  
  
'I beg your pardon?' Evie huffed, getting angry.  
  
'I said you're lying.' Rick repeated, insolently to Evie's mind.  
  
'I know what you said!' she flared back.  
  
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a while, glumly watching the rain hit the glass windows of the telephone booth and almost wishing they were back in it, instead of arguing about something as trivial as a tiny three- legged stool. Rick shifted where he stood, his legs feeling like lead. He knew he needed to sit down, but taking the stool in this crucial stage of their argument didn't seem advisable. He came up with an alternative.  
  
'Why don't we both sit on the ground?'  
  
Evelyn looked down at the dirty cement floor of the telephone booth, which was covered in mud, rubbish, and, thanks to Rick and herself, sand.  
  
'All right.' she agreed, sliding to the floor and leaning her back against the wall of the booth. Like Rick, Evie had begun to feel the consequences of traipsing through the town all day long, and saw sore all over. She drew her knees under her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs.  
  
Rick was quick to follow, taking a seat opposite Evelyn.  
  
'So. What do we do now, Mr O'Connell?'  
  
'Beats me.'  
  
They smiled tiny smiles at each other. Then Rick saw Evelyn stifle a yawn.  
  
'Hey. You all right?' he asked.  
  
'I'm tired, that's all. It's been quite a day.'  
  
Rick smiled. 'Yep. And YOU should be particularly exhausted- you were clumsier than usual.'  
  
'I thought we had already established that I take that sort of coarse comment as an insult, Rick.' Evelyn said, trying to be angry but not quite succeeding.  
  
'And I thought we'd decided to stop arguing.'  
  
'Well, your memory is certainly exceeding its normal capacity today, isn't it?'  
  
'Hey!'  
  
Before she could reply, another yawn tried to force Evelyn's mouth open. This time, she hadn't the will nor the strength to stop it.  
  
'You're completely buggered, aren't you?' Rick asked, again noticing.  
  
'That's one way of putting it.'  
  
Rick shuffled across the floor of the telephone booth and squeezed next to Evie, putting an arm around her slender shoulders. She instantly responded by nestling against him, resting her head on his arm. They both felt warmer instantly from the proximity of their bodies.  
  
'Just try to relax.' Evelyn heard Rick whisper, before all her senses fogged over and she slipped into a deep sleep.  
  
Rick, observing this speedy transition, couldn't help thinking that Evie must be genuinely tired. This had been further illustrated by the fact that she hadn't even reprimanded him for swearing.  
  
For a while, Rick was content to sit awake, with Evelyn sleeping soundly against him, a pleasant weight on his shoulder. He just stared out of the opposite panel of glass at the picturesque park, or what he could see of it- the glass had become translucent from the raindrops that slid down it incessantly. Then Rick's eyes slid closed of their own accord, and no force exerted on his part would persuade them to open again. So he gave in to the urge to sleep, and dream.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Three and a half hours later, Rick woke with a jolt. This disturbed Evelyn, who was still nestled into his side.  
  
'What ever is the matter, Rick?' she asked sleepily, stretching, as he dug frantically around in his pockets.  
  
Rick didn't answer except to swear violently. Evie was wide awake in a trice.  
  
'Don't you dare use that language at me, Rick O'Connell!' she said stormily.  
  
'But Evie, we've been asleep for almost four hours! Our train leaves in ten minutes!'  
  
Evie yelped and struggled to get up, treading on her clothes and Rick's hand in the process.  
  
'OW! That hurt!'  
  
Evie looked over her shoulder at Rick, who was clutching his hand and moaning.  
  
'How can you roll around in the dirt at a time like this, Rick? Honestly!'  
  
'But Evelyn-' Rick whined.  
  
'Do stop complaining and get up. You look a fool.'  
  
Grumbling fiercely, Rick clumsily got to his feet, and promptly fell over the stool.  
  
'OW!' he yelled, as his legs seemed to disappear in searing pain. 'Jesus, why the hell did they put that stool there, anyway? Anyone can see it's an accident waiting to happen!'  
  
This time, however, Evie didn't answer. She was standing completely still in front of the door, with her back to Rick. Every part of her tense stance suggested that she was in shock.  
  
'What is it?' Rick asked, panicking. Ignoring his injuries, he scrambled to his feet, scouring the park for mummified priests or grave robbers.  
  
'Rick,' Evelyn said quietly, still not moving. 'The door won't open.'  
  
Rick immediately relaxed, shaky relief washing over him. 'You scared the hell outa me just 'cos the door's stuck?'  
  
He steered Evie to one side and grabbed the handle of the door, bracing himself. Then he pulled as hard as he could.  
  
And the handle came off in his hand.  
  
Evelyn came to herself once more at this.  
  
'Rick, the door PUSHES open! You pulled it!' she cried. 'We'll never be able to open it without a handle!'  
  
Only slightly unnerved -but VERY put out, as he clearly wasn't in shape at all- Rick prepared himself for another go. He'd had quite a bit of practice in breaking down doors, but usually they were of the cheap, flimsy variety. This one was quite different. It was solid wood, with many small panels of glass set in it. Nevertheless, he was quite confident he could do it.  
  
Rick set his shoulder against the door, measuring up. The he leaned away from it and smashed his side into it with as much force as he could muster.  
  
The door didn't budge.  
  
'What's this damned thing made out of, anyway?' Rick asked, thoroughly unnerved now but not caring to show it to Evie. He couldn't understand why the door wouldn't break! It was beginning to make him downright angry, though with what he couldn't say.  
  
'We could break the glass,' she suggested.  
  
'Not easily. And we'd cut ourselves to bits. Bloody hell! This is bad, Evie.' Rick said, pulling his watch out of his pocket. 'We're going to miss the train!'  
  
Evie frowned concernedly. 'There isn't another until this time tomorrow. Jonathan will get terribly anxious!'  
  
'I'm not worried about Jonathan, I'm worried about us! What are we gonna do? We can't spend all night in a 'phone box!' Rick said angrily, punching the side of the loathed facility.  
  
'It's looking as though we might have to, Rick. At least until the rain stops and people return to the park.' Evelyn said slowly, trying to smile. 'It won't be that bad.'  
  
Rick grinned wryly at her, and glanced all around at their surroundings, as if to contradict her last remark. Then he saw something that he would have found hilariously funny in other circumstances.  
  
Such as, if Jonathan were stuck in here instead of him and Evie.  
  
'Well, at least we won't die of thirst,' he said, gesturing upwards.  
  
Evie directed her gaze towards the ceiling and saw a drop of water fall from a slight crack, followed by another almost immediately. She looked down to the floor and saw that a large puddle was forming.  
  
This, no doubt, was what Rick had been referring to.  
  
'Oh dear.'  
  
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